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Urban growth is a full-steam-ahead operation, and often seems unstoppable. But every now and then along comes a citizen not only willing but capable of asking tough questions. Like, “What is the impact of our actions? What are we going to do if something goes wrong?” When something needs to be done the last thing anyone wants is to stall progress, but sometimes that is exactly what needs to be done. How often do we really consider the implications of our actions, our plans, our very growth? Especially when our plans have to do with transit.
In a recent article featured on Grist.org an interview with Cary Moon brings to light some interesting questions about improving transportation in urban environments. Traffic being an ever present problem – just glance at the impact of transportation on greenhouse gas in Seattle in the graph above from 2008 – it’s a wonder more isn’t being done to improve transit. While the Moon interview focuses on one particular issue concerning changes in the highway system of Seattle, her message can be applied anywhere. Is our government taking everything into consideration before they begin mega-projects, or are they just keeping the flow of growth moving with little to no thought to side effects? With the current state of climate decline we have no reason not to take environmental impact into account, and with the technology available to us we have no excuse not to.